The bookmakers aren’t buying into the hype around Hawthorn’s recruits yet.

The Hawks have drifted from $13 to $15 despite being the big winners from the trade period according to many experts after signing Chad Wingard, Tom Scully and Jack Scrimshaw.

West Coast has been the best-backed side to win the premiership, ahead of Essendon and Collingwood.

Richmond remains the $5 favourite.

At the other end of the spectrum, Gold Coast is $501 and Carlton $201.

Dylan Atkinson

A-LEAGUE

CENTRAL COAST ($4) V MELBOURNE CITY ($1.80)

GOSFORD, SATURDAY 5.35PM

MELBOURNE City is favoured to make it 10 games without a loss against A-League battlers Central Coast Mariners in Gosford on Saturday.

The Mariners’ last win against City was in March 2015, when Usain Bolt had won only two of his three Olympic 100m crowns.

The Jamaican looks set to part ways with the franchise after contract talks stalled.

City will be keen to build on its momentum after its controversial 2-1 derby victory against Melbourne Victory. City captain Scott Jamieson looks set to return after sitting out last week, prompting manager Warren Joyce to reshuffle his defence.

The Mariners were solid last weekend, eking out a 1-1 away draw against Brisbane Roar.

City skipper Scott Jamieson is set to return against the Mariners this weekend. Picture: AAPSource:AAP

MELBOURNE VICTORY ($1.80) V PERTH GLORY ($4)

AAMI PARK, SUNDAY 7PM

AFTER being stung in the season-opener, Melbourne Victory will be hungry to square the ledger with a win against Perth Glory on Sunday at AAMI Park.

If it loses, it would be Glory’s equal biggest upset against Victory, having defeated it 2-0 back in 2010 as a $4 underdog. A repeat of marquee player Keisuke Honda’s sparkling A-League debut, which included a goal, would be a major boost for Victory.

Has won six of his 11 career starts to date including a nice win at Caulfield last start when he wasn’t 100 per cent fit. Will strip fitter heading into tonight and should be an early bank builder for punters.

SAVATIANO ($2.15)

(Moonee Valley Saturday Race 3, No. 2)

Classy James Cummings trained mare who has been runner-up in her past two starts in tougher grade. She steps up to 1600m, has drawn perfectly and with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle looks the winner.

VALUE BET

TRAP FOR FOOLS ($7.50)

(Moonee Valley Saturday Race 8, No. 9)

The horse has been the subject of controversy this week, scratched on race day last Saturday and then rejected from the Cox Plate. Hopefully for connections it will be a blessing in disguise as he loves the Valley having won twice at the track and should lead and be hard to run down.

SNEAKY CHANCE

SACRED SWORD ($7.50)

(Moonee Valley Friday Race 1, No. 3)

Beaten at an extremely short quote at Swan Hill last start but not much went right in the run. Does rise in grade and drawn awkwardly, but has ability and is worth another chance at the big odds.

NBL

PERTH WILDCATS ($1.65) V MELBOURNE UNITED ($2.25)

PERTH, SATURDAY 3PM

MELBOURNE United ($2.25) will be desperate for Casper Ware and Chris Goulding to find their range from the field against Perth Wildcats ($1.65) on Saturday.

United, which can expect a hostile reception in Perth, will be at full strength for the clash with Goulding passed fit after a knock to the head late in Sunday’s win against Adelaide 36ers at Melbourne Arena.

The in-form Wildcats surged past Brisbane Bullets last week to be the only undefeated team in the NBL, with usual suspects Bryce Cotton — 28 points and four assists — and Nick Kay doing the damage.

Ware, on the other hand, struggled to find his range in United’s three-point win against the 36ers, going at 2-12 from the field to equal his career low of five points.

Casper Ware will keen to improve on his poor three-point shooting this weekend. Picture: David CroslingSource:News Corp Australia

MOTOR SPORT

AUSTRALIAN MOTOGP

PHILLIP ISLAND, SUNDAY 4PM

AUSTRALIAN rider Mike Jones will make his third MotoGP start on Sunday at Phillip Island after Alvaro Bautista stepped up to the factory Ducati team, replacing the injured Jorge Lorenzo.

Lorenzo (fractured wrist) has missed the past two MotoGP races. Jones has raced in the European and Spanish Superstock 1000 championships, finishing fourth overall in the latter aboard a Kawasaki.

The former Australian Superbike champion made his MotoGP debut two years ago as an injury replacement. He finished 15th in the 2016 Australian MotoGP.

Phillip Island champion Marc Marquez will be hard to beat, with Cal Crutchlow and Italian veteran Valentino Rossi among the main chances.

Marquez on Sunday secured his fifth MotoGP world title and his third in a row.

The 25-year-old Spaniard suffered a dislocated shoulder after an exuberant victory lap, though he is expected to take his place in Sunday’s race.

Spring Carnival- How to place a bet with TAB

Spring Carnival- How to place a bet with TAB

HORSE RACING

COX PLATE (2040m)

THE VALLEY, SATURDAY 5PM

WINX is $1.20 with TAB after drawing six in Tuesday’s Cox Plate barrier draw.

The superstar mare has only seven rivals in her quest for a historic fourth Cox Plate.

Benbatl, who is the $8 second elect, is tipped to be Winx’s biggest challenger.

The Godolphin-owned stallion, who won Group 1 events in Dubai and Munich this year as well as the Caulfield Stakes, is the $2.50 favourite in the Winx-out market.

After last year equalling Kingston Town’s record of three consecutive Cox Plate wins, Winx will be try to set a new benchmark, having jumped at $4.20 to win the 2015 race, $1.80 in 2016 and $1.18 last year.

If a punter had placed a $1 bet on Winx when she won the Sunshine Coast Guineas in May 2015 and rolled it over in her 27 victories since, they would have now amassed $44,184.57.

For those not lucky enough to get a ticket to Saturday’s historic event, the next best place to watch it will be at the Winx Live Site at Crown Riverwalk.

There will be live entertainment throughout the day and two large video screens showing all 10 races from the Valley. TAB’s Jaimee Rogers will provide tips for each race.

Can Winx make history at The Valley?

SUPERSTAR greyhound Dyna Patty is the $2.70 favourite to win Saturday night’s Group 1 TAB Topgun (525m) at The Meadows, despite not having won in almost three months.

The dark brindle sprinter’s most recent win was nine starts ago in the Group 1 Maturity Classic (525m) at The Meadows in July, when she had box one, the same draw as in the Topgun. “I couldn’t be happier with the draw,” trainer Andrea Dailly said. “She isn’t very consistent coming out of the boxes, but the red draw is perfect for her.”

Dyna Patty has won twice from three starts from box one. Dailly said Dyna Patty was desperately unlucky not to win her most recent race, a semi-final of the Million Dollar Chase (520m) at Wentworth Park, Sydney, on October 12, when she ran fourth as the $1.80 favourite after hitting interference on the home turn.

Andrew Copley

HARNESS TIP

KYVALLEY BLUR ($3.20)

RACE 6, NO.9

Cranbourne, Saturday 8.33pm

You can always count on this guy to perform on race day. Super consistent, high class trotter with a more favourable draw than his major rival.

GREYHOUND TIP

DYNA HUNTER

RACE 8, BOX 8

Geelong, Friday 9.27pm

Dyna Hunter was the fastest Geelong Cup heat winner last week and he is perfectly drawn in tomorrow’s final, having won six from six from box eight.

YOU BETCHA WITH RUSSELL GOULD

Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka have been entwined in more ways than one of late. The best mates apparently punched on after Team USA was smashed in the Ryder Cup, and Koepka has since dethroned DJ as the world No.1 by winning last week. Dustin don’t like that, and he’ll show it at the HSBC event in China this week. It could be a bomb-off between the two big-hitters, but DJ should come out on top.

Odds: $8

Dustin Johnson will be keen to hit back with a strong showing at the HSBC event in China. Picture: Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

NBL road-trips don’t come much harder than going to Perth to face the Wildcats, and it looms as a bridge too far for Melbourne United on Saturday night. But they are odds-on to get the job done against Illawarra on Sunday, so take a loss-win double.

Odds: $2.99

MULTI MANIA

Let’s look to the NFL, which has provided so much edge-of-your-seat drama this year. Who’d be a kicker? Anyway ...